Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Mary Lou Pence papers, 1850-1994
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Pence, Mary Lou
- Title
- Mary Lou Pence papers
- Dates
- 1850-1994 (inclusive)Date of CollectionDate of Collection
- Quantity
- 4.83 cubic ft. (12 boxes) + oversize prints
- Collection Number
- 00403
- Summary
- Mary Lou Pence was an author and journalist who wrote histories of Wyoming and the West. The collection contains research, writings, scrapbook material, and artifacts.
- Repository
-
American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming
American Heritage Center
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Ave.
Dept. 3924
Laramie, WY
82071
Telephone: 3077663756
ahcref@uwyo.edu - Access Restrictions
-
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Mary Lou Pence (1906-1995) was a journalist and author. She was born in Billings, Montana and received a degree in journalism from the University of Wyoming in 1934. She was the woman's page editor of the Laramie Daily Boomerang, served as editor of Petticoat Politics, a Wyoming women's political newspaper, and wrote feature and news stories for The Denver Post, Portland Oregonian, American Weekly, Empire Magazine, American History Illustrated, and historical journals. She was a life member of Western Writers of America and the National Federation of Press Women. Her books include The Laramie Story, Ghost Towns of Wyoming (co-authored with Lola Homsher), Boswell: The Story of a Frontier Lawman, and Women Who Made the West.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Mary Lou Pence Papers mainly consist of research files and photographs for the writing of her articles, short stories, and books. There are manuscripts, scrapbook material, and a few subject files regarding the professional organizations of which she was a member. There are also copies of her books: The Laramie Story, Ghost Towns of Wyoming (co-authored with Lola Homsher), Boswell: The Story of a Frontier Lawman, and Women Who Made the West, which contains a chapter by her on Polly Pry. In addition, the collection contains artifacts collected by Alfred Pence concerning crime in Wyoming.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Copyright InformationThe researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Restrictions on Use
Statement on Potentially Harmful Language and Images Found in CollectionsThe American Heritage Center aspires to approach all areas of our work in ways that are respectful to those who create, use, and are represented in our collections. For a variety of reasons, however, users may encounter offensive or harmful language or images in some of our finding aids, catalogs, and collection materials.
Note that the AHC does not censor or alter contents of the collections as they provide context and evidence of a time, people, place, or event. Therefore, we encourage users to bring questions and concerns about descriptions in our finding aids to our attention via email or anonymous web-form. For more information, read our full statement.
Preferred Citation
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Related Materials
There are no known other archival collections created by Mary Lou Pence at the date of processing.
Acquisition Information
The Mary Lou Pence Papers were donated to the University of Wyoming in 1985 and 1996 by Dr. and Mrs. William Moore and the Laramie Plains Museum in 2022.
Processing Note
The collection was processed by Loreley Moore in May 1998. Processing was updated by D. Claudia Thompson in January 2012 and Jamie J. Greene in June 2024.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I. Manuscript FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | All That Comes Up Must Come Down by Mari Stone |
undated |
| 1 | 2 | Annie M. Bradley |
1907-1908, 1958 |
| 1 | 3 | Arena Dust |
undated |
| 1 | 4 | Boswell: The Story of a Frontier Lawman |
1977 |
| 1 | 5 | The Brigadier's Wife |
1940s |
| 1 | 6 | Charles Washakie |
1953 |
| 1 | 7 | Clarice Whittenburg Journalism Award Given Annually by Wyoming
Press Women |
undated |
| 1 | 8 | Clayton Danks (Steamboat) |
1902-1969 |
| 1 | 9 | Confessions of a Press Woman |
1950 |
| 1 | 10 | Dogs Are Better Retrievers |
1950s |
| 1 | 11 | Ellen Lewis Washakie |
1925-1953 |
| 1 | 12 | Eliza Stewart |
circa 1880s-1980 |
| 2 | 1 | Forty Years a Fugitive (Charles Whitney) |
1911-1966 |
| 2 | 2 | From an Old Lode Mine |
1940s |
| 2 | 3 | Ghost Town--Fertility, Montana |
1950 |
| 2 | 4 | The Grand Encampment of Wyoming |
1962 |
| 2 | 5 | History and Your Child in a Changing World |
undated |
| 2 | 6 | Human Beings |
1950 |
| 2 | 7 | The Jagged Latigo |
undated |
| 2 | 8 | Jennie Chamberlain |
undated |
| 2 | 9 | The Laramie Story |
1870, 1968 |
| 2 | 10 | Lillie Paden |
undated |
| 2 | 11 | Marquise De Mores |
1891-1901, 1948-1950 |
| 2 | 12 | Mary Homsley |
1946-1952 |
| 2 | 13 | Meadowvale Estate |
1950s |
| 3 | 1 | Natawista |
circa 1850s, 1957 |
| 3 | 2 | Our Children--Their Heritage (Fort Sanders) |
undated |
| 3 | 3 | Petticoat Rustler |
1951-1982 |
| 3 | 4 | Polly Pry |
1914-1991 |
| 3 | 5 | The Potlatch Bag |
undated |
| 3 | 6 | Press on Wheels by Burton De Loney (Transcript of article from
Wyoming Annals) |
1942 |
| 3 | 7 | Remount Ranch |
1950 |
| 3 | 8 | The Rise of Prairie Rose |
undated |
| 3 | 9 | Rose Paden |
undated |
| 3 | 10 | Some Little Thing |
undated |
| 3 | 11 | Still Riding Trail Herd (Jake Draper) |
1890s, 1948-1949 |
| 3 | 12 | Tales from the Storied Past |
undated |
| 3 | 13 | Their Ghosts Are Many |
1950s |
| 3 | 14 | Virginia Tatnail Peacock |
1950s |
| 3 | 15 | The West's Memorable Women, Chapters 1-7 |
1949-1958 |
| 4 | 1 | The West's Memorable Women, Chapters 8-17 |
1949-1958 |
| 4 | 2 | Wild West Women (Film Proposal) |
1982 |
| 4 | 3 | The Woman Who Wouldn't Quit (Mary Powell) |
1951 |
| 4 | 4 | Wyoming Women Launch Modern Crusade |
1954 |
Series II. Research FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 4 | 5 | Adams, Maude and Annie |
1905-1916, 1952-1958 |
| 4 | 6 | Boswell, N.K |
1859-1988 |
| 4 | 7 | Bozeman Trail |
1956 |
| 4 | 8 | Brown, Molly |
1912 |
| 4 | 9 | Calamity Jane |
1953 |
| 4 | 10 | Carlisle, Bill |
1976 |
| 4 | 11 | Chinese Massacre |
1885-1886, 1950s |
| 4 | 12 | Coulson, Montana |
1878-1957 |
| 4 | 13 | Davis, Richard Harding |
undated |
| 4 | 14 | Duniway, Abigail Scott |
undated |
| 5 | 1 | Early Printing in Wyoming |
1936-1942 |
| 5 | 2 | Fort Casper, Wyoming |
1953 |
| 5 | 3 | Fort Laramie |
1860s, 1955 |
| 5 | 4 | Ghost Towns of Wyoming |
1927-1956 |
| 5 | 5 | Guthrie, John Appleton Jackson |
1964 |
| 5 | 6 | Haydee, Rose |
1951 |
| 5 | 7 | Heath, Lillian (Dr.) |
1955 |
| 5 | 8 | A History of the Theatrical Activities of Cheyenne, Wyoming from
1867 to 1902, by William Compton Bell |
1955 |
| 5 | 9 | Horn, Tom |
1903-1992 |
| 5 | 10 | Johnson, Wesley |
1968 |
| 5 | 11 | Kelly, Fanny |
1956 |
| 5 | 12 | Laramie, Jacques |
1970 |
| 5 | 13 | MacLean, Mary |
1949 |
| 5 | 14 | Magoffin, Susan Shelby |
undated |
| 5 | 15 | Mercer, Asa |
1859-1869, 1958 |
| 5 | 16 | Mordici, James |
1912, 1956 |
| 5 | 17 | Old Mother Featherlegs |
1951-1978 |
| 5 | 18 | Parrott, George |
1881-1954 |
| 5 | 19 | Penrose, C.B |
undated |
| 6 | 1 | Remount Ranch |
1941-1990 |
| 6 | 2 | Roe, Frances |
undated |
| 6 | 3 | Ross, Nellie Tayloe |
1972-1983 |
| 6 | 4 | Simpson, William |
1925, 1959 |
| 6 | 5 | Strahorn, Robert |
1951-1952 |
| 6 | 6 | Sun Dance |
1931, 1948 |
| 6 | 7 | Tabor, Augusta |
1950-1961 |
| 6 | 8 | Ten Sleep Raid (Court Transcript) |
1909 |
| 6 | 9 | Villa, Poncho |
1979 |
Series III. PhotographsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 6 | 10 | Atkinson, Martha Symons |
1870 |
| 6 | 11 | Atlantic City, Wyoming |
1870,1950 |
| 6 | 12 | Bald Mountain City, Wyoming |
1938 |
| 6 | 13 | Bath, Al |
1908 |
| 6 | 14 | Battle Lake, Wyoming |
1903, 1940s |
| 6 | 15 | Bear River City |
1868 |
| 6 | 16 | Bellamy (Mrs.) |
1950 |
| 6 | 17 | Benton, Wyoming |
1868 |
| 6 | 18 | Bessemer Bend, Red Buttes |
1870 |
| 6 | 19 | Billings, Montana |
1882 |
| 6 | 20 | Boney Earnest Gang Buffalo Hunters |
undated |
| 6 | 21 | Brown, Melville |
undated |
| 6 | 22 | Bryan City, Wyoming |
undated |
| 6 | 23 | Carbon, Wyoming |
1875, 1954 |
| 6 | 24 | Carbon County, Wyoming--Herd of Sheep |
undated |
| 6 | 25 | Carpenter, JIm |
undated |
| 6 | 26 | Cassidy Gang |
undated |
| 6 | 27 | Cattle Kate and Jim Averill |
undated |
| 6 | 28 | Cheyenne, Wyoming |
1868 |
| 6 | 29 | Chief Washakie, Shoshone Tribe and the Wind River Reservation |
1870-1920s |
| 6 | 30 | Cook, Al (Mrs.) |
undated |
| 6 | 31 | Cora, Charles and Jim Casey |
1862 |
| 6 | 32 | Cosby, Charles |
1927 |
| 6 | 33 | Cowboys on the Range |
1903 |
| 6 | 34 | Dale Creek Bridge, Wyoming |
1868 |
| 6 | 35 | Dillon, Wyoming |
undated |
| 7 | 1 | Downey, Melville (Family) |
undated |
| 7 | 2 | Duggan, Sanford |
undated |
| 7 | 3 | Falling Leaf Burial Site (Daughter of Spotted Tail) |
1866 |
| 7 | 4 | Fetterman Massacre |
undated |
| 7 | 5 | Fort Reno, Wyoming |
1866 |
| 7 | 6 | Fort Sanders, Wyoming |
1875, 1920 |
| 7 | 7 | Fort Steele, Wyoming |
undated |
| 7 | 8 | Fremont, Jessie Benton |
undated |
| 7 | 9 | Gardner Kellogg and M.R. Maddocks Store |
1868 |
| 7 | 10 | Green River Station, Wyoming |
undated |
| 7 | 11 | Hanging of Asa Moore, Con Wager and Ned Wilson |
undated |
| 7 | 12 | Holland, Bob |
1871 |
| 7 | 13 | Indian Chiefs: Weasel Bear, Red Cloud, Red Shirt, Long Soldier,
Little Bull, and Loud Voice Haw |
undated |
| 7 | 14 | Ivinson, Edward and Jane |
1904 |
| 7 | 15 | James, Frank (Broadside) |
undated |
| 7 | 16 | Jelm, Wyoming |
undated |
| 7 | 17 | Jireh, Wyoming |
1909-1910 |
| 7 | 18 | Johnson, Coffee |
undated |
| 7 | 19 | Krause, Della |
undated |
| 7 | 20 | Laramie, Wyoming |
1876-1904 |
| 7 | 21 | Larimer, Sarah |
undated |
| 7 | 22 | Las Vegas, Nevada |
1904 |
| 7 | 23 | Leadville, Colorado |
undated |
| 7 | 24 | Mc Adow, Farm Near Coulson, Montana |
1882 |
| 7 | 25 | Mandel, Phil |
1870 |
| 7 | 26 | Mathison, Neil |
1906 |
| 7 | 27 | Medora, Wyoming |
1919 |
| 7 | 28-33 | Mines--Wyoming : Cambria Coal Mines; Ferris-Haggerty; Grand
Encampment; Miner's Delight Mine Head; Rudelfa; and Soloman |
1903-1950s |
| 7 | 34 | Morris, Esther |
1976 |
| 7 | 35 | Percy Cut--Union Pacific Rotary Snow Plow |
1917 |
| 7 | 36 | Perry, Oda William, Age 4 Months |
undated |
| 7 | 37 | Phillips, Portugee |
undated |
| 7 | 38 | Railroad Tie Camps |
undated |
| 7 | 39 | Rambler, Wyoming |
circa 1897 |
| 7 | 40 | Ranches--Wyoming, Clifford, Near Cheyenne |
undated |
| 8 | 1-4 | Ranches--Wyoming: Goose Egg, Bessemer; Lak, Weston County;
Stockade Beaver, Weston County; and Two Bar |
undated |
| 8 | 5 | Rawlins, Wyoming |
1882 |
| 8 | 6 | Red Cloud (Indian Chief) |
undated |
| 8 | 7 | Riverside, Wyoming |
undated |
| 8 | 8 | Rock Creek, Wyoming |
1899 |
| 8 | 9 | Sacajawea |
undated |
| 8 | 10 | Salt Creek, Wyoming |
undated |
| 8 | 11 | Salt Lake City, Utah |
undated |
| 8 | 12 | Sherman Station, Wyoming |
1868 |
| 8 | 13 | Silver Cliff Stage Station and Cheyenne-Deadwood Stage Coach |
undated |
| 8 | 14 | Slosson Family |
undated |
| 8 | 15 | South Pass City, Wyoming |
1953 |
| 8 | 16 | Sterling, James |
undated |
| 8 | 17 | Swain, Eliza |
1870 |
| 8 | 18 | Thermopolis, Wyoming |
undated |
| 8 | 19 | Trabing, George |
undated |
| 8 | 20 | Uinta, Utah |
undated |
| 8 | 21 | Unidentified Portraits |
undated |
| 8 | 22 | Union Pacific Broadside for Trans-Continental Trip |
1869 |
| 8 | 23 | Union Pacific Typical Station |
circa 1870 |
| 8 | 24 | Union Pacific Water Tank |
undated |
| 8 | 25 | University of Wyoming Extracurricular Groups |
1900 |
| 8 | 26 | Widdowfield, Robert and Tip Vincent Death Site |
undated |
| 8 | 27 | Wilcox Train Robbery |
1899 |
| 8 | 28 | Young, Steve |
1868-1943 |
| 8 | 29 | Younger, Cole (Broadside) |
undated |
| 11 | Negatives: |
1868-1976 | |
| Box | Folder | ||
| 11 | Scans on museum computer, Boswell |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Frankie Rae - Army wife with pet |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Montana. 1. Coulson, 1882-1883, Shot of Belgs. 2. 2 from Parmolie Libr. Belgs. |
1882-1883 | |
| 11 | Mary Lou Pence Building U.P. |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Indians: Red Shirt etc. group. Sundance - later date - Mrs. Far load, Lander |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Fort Steele - present day |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Tubb Town negatives, drawings Shuttheis (ghost towns) |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Forts: Reno, Phil Kearney, Bridger (Jackson); 1. Laramie with Phillips, rider drawing |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Anne Tedgump, St. Clair, Washakie, and J.K. Moore |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Carrington return to massacre scene, Mrs. Drummand Carrington |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Mormons Trek, Utah, Jackson |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Western Ranch negatives, Draper Collection |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | 1. Pioneers "Building the Cabin" - Harpers Weekly 2. Crossing - trading a stream |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | 1. Maggie Jobin Broeon 2. and Tilance Crew |
1868-1976 | |
| 11 | Miscellaneous negatives |
1868-1976 |
Series IV. Subject FilesReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 8 | 30 | Arena Auditorium Dedication Committee |
1980 |
| 8 | 31 | Ghost Towns of Wyoming--Publication |
1954-1988 |
| 8 | 32 | Governor's Residence Library |
1967-1990 |
| 8 | 33 | National Association for Outlaw and Lawman History |
1981-1984 |
| 8 | 34 | National Federation of Press Women |
1947-1988 |
| 8 | 35 | Petticoat Politics |
1953-1954 |
| 8 | 36 | Sweet Creek County War Movie |
1980 |
| 8 | 37 | Western Writers of America |
1975-1983 |
Series V. Scrapbook MaterialReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 9 | 1 | Certificates, Awards, and Programs |
1942-1983 |
| 9 | 2 | Newspaper Clippings |
1941-1994 |
| 9 | 3 | Photographs |
1940s-1980s |
Series VI. BooksReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 9 | 4 | "Boswell: The Story of a Frontier Lawman", by Mary Lou Pence |
1978 |
| 9 | 5-6 | "Ghost Towns of Wyoming", by Mary Lou Pence and Lola Homsher |
1956 |
| 9 | 7 | "The Laramie Story" by Mary Lou Pence |
1968, 1987 |
| 9 | 8 | "The Women Who Made the West", a Chapter by Mary Lou Pence |
1980 |
| 9 | 9 | "Wyoming Place Names", by Mae Urbank (autographed) |
1967 |
Series VII. ArtifactsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | |||
| 10 | Gavel Used by Judge Charles E. Carpenter in an Attempt to Bring
Order an Angry Mob Who Had Seized Joe Martin. Gavel Was Used Until 1932
When the Old Court House was Razed |
1904 | |
| 10A | Guns: .22 Caliber Baby Hammerless Owned by Juanita Kakedkas; .32
Caliber Colt Used by David Bell to Kill Silas Jamison on April 28, 1936;
.32 Caliber Harrington and Richardson Used by Mr. Blake in 1933 in a
Gunfight with Gus Kakedkas and a .38 Caliber JMM Used by Gus Kakedkas to
Shoot Mr. Blake |
1932-1936 | |
| 10A | Grenade Used for Training |
circa 1940s | |
| 10 | Marked Deck of Cards Used at the Alpine Club, Alpine, Idaho |
undated | |
| 10 | Printing Blocks Used for a "Casper Star Tribune" Newspaper
Article About Lester C. Hunt and Ownership of the Original Wyoming
Suffrage Act |
1954 | |
| 10 | Spur (broken and rusted) |
undated | |
Series VIII. PrintsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Art Storage | By William Henry Jackson, 4' x 5': Bessemer Bend; Bridge on the
North Platte River; and Green River Rendezvous |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Women--Wyoming
Personal Names
- Boswell, Nathaniel Kimball, 1836-1921.
Geographical Names
- West (U.S.)--History.
- Laramie (Wyo.)--History
- Wyoming-- History, 1946-1999.
- Wyoming--History, 1890-1918.
- Wyoming--History, 1919-1945.
- Wyoming--History, To 1889.
Form or Genre Terms
- Artifacts.
- Photographs.
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Pence, Mary Lou : Boswell, the story of a frontier lawman.
- Pence, Mary Lou : Laramie story.
Processed by Loreley Moore
2007; 2012
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
